Remember how in Bridget Jones’s Diary she made a list at the start of every diary entry? Cigarettes smoked: Weight: Alcohol units consumed:I loved that. I love any different format in a book, from The Eighteenth Emergency which I read when I was in the third grade, to House of Leaves that gave me nightmares when I was in my twenties, to The Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life that gave me hope when I was a young mom, to Hyperbole and a Half that made me laugh recently. Even before all that, I remember reading a pop-up book and thinking, Whaaaaat? A book can do that? It blew my mind. Still does.

A gimmick is well spent on me. So, back to Bridget and her way of summing up her life/progress/defeats. I like how self-indulgent and at the same time how blunt Bridget is with herself. It sums up a struggle that I think most women (should I say people?) deal with. Bridget’s way of approaching the struggle, drunk and singing “All By Myself”, is pitch perfect in my gregorific opinion.

That’s how I felt approaching NaNoWriMo this year. If you forget what NaNoWriMo is, check it out here. (Yes, I enjoy referencing myself.)

My 2014 November days often ended with a review of my writing progress, which directly related to my empty calorie consumption and my lack of housekeeping. It went something like this:

November 6, 2014Dishes: not done.Toast eaten for every meal. 3000 words!!!

Or like this:November 16, 2014Made a nice dinner: chops and risotto and roasted brussel sprouts.Vacuumed. Words written: 0 And the month ended with the worst finale in my four year history of NaNoWriMo-ing:November 28, 2014Friday: Holed up in my room. Relied on the children to bring me food. Spilled coffee on my bed. Thought about licking it up. Wrote 10,000 words. November 29, 2014 Saturday: Everyone is irritated with me. Stood up all scheduled plans. House not decorated for season. No idea what anyone ate, much less myself. Not hungry. Brain fatigue setting in. Wrote 10,000 words.

I had to write 10,000 words on Sunday in order to make the deadline and win. And gregorific never gives up. Even when it would be wise to do so. Even when not quitting means ruining the weekend for everyone else.

November 30, 2014 Sunday: Woke up and wrote in bed for four hours before getting up to pee. Locked self in office after blowing up at everyone twice. Finished the 10,000 final words and curled up at the base of rolling chair and went to sleep. Mr. Gregorific finds me later, puts blanket on me. Glad December starts tomorrow.